musicians. from july through september, people in plazas produces almost 300 free performances in the lunchtime hour. the mission of people in plazas generates social congregation. and by having these events, we encourage people to make these plazas everybody's neighborhood. >> recently, the san francisco arts commission was awarded a $ 250,000 grant for the national endowment for the arts. to establish an arts district in the central market corridor between fifth and 10th street. throughout the yearing the arts commission will partner with people in plazas to activate the sidewalks along this stretch with art installation, opening events, live music, and new arts and antique markets at u.n.

plaza. >> this area has been sleighted for many years, at least the past 25 years. i think that this redevelopment project and the n.e.a. grant are very positive signs that we have political will and a lot of momentum to really make the mid market area what it could be, which is a vibrant area where everybody is welcome and it's a place to be in san francisco. >> to get a feel for the future of the central market arts and culture district, be sure to catch out an upcoming concert. for locations and times, visit peopleinplazas.org. to learn more about the central market revitalization initiative, visit sfartcommission.org. thank you for watching "culture wire." district people other

thanning television analogious as a simple area. but it's geographicic of the city. from the golden gate heights and the little area called the extension triangle and the park and inaudiblee lake shore, lake side. we have a number of distinct -- welcome to the latest addition of the district -- i am jennifer low. today we are focusing on district 7. the district between the lake and zoo. to remain something of a mystery of san francisco.

let's find the charm of district 7. >> look at this, it's one of the most unique strips in all of san francisco. we have the unique neighborhoods to make san francisco what it is. they are unique and distinct and have their own characteristics. that's what we love. >> i think the most characteristic in district 7 you have residents that have been here forever. you have generations. i am fourth generation san franciscoian. you have a lot of people that live in san francisco that live in the sunny side and lived out here for years. as a result you have a real concern and care for just basic quality of life and community issues. i think that's our unique characteristic. >> strict 7 has reputation of being the conservative district. let's hear from the

locals. >> i would say it looks to city government to provide more basic city services. it's a focus on the basics. and if that's more conservative, so be it. >> frequent midwest, anybodying that sfanz is to the left of anything in the country. it's relative. i think because there is is an older population out here in the past, it's been slightly more conservative. in general homeowners tend to be more conservative. because i think their properties taxes are being used for the bond issues and things that get passed. >> one of things i love about the neighborhood, as much as it changes the feel of ocean avenue and the general

atmosphere is the çsame. you have the same library and park. >> (inaudible) a little old fashion but it combines the best of little old fashion neighborhood that with indion and wine $-bar and 3 irish pubs and just a great number of mom and pop stores. >> when we have friends from out of town or across from town, we walk up the street for dinner. what we have is the best. those who have been here many years and love the city. >> the thing i like the most is the low impact housing. it's,

it has a more open feel to it. and there are kids playing the street. >> i like the trees and wide open spaces i have in backyard. and i like the big circle here in (inaudible). >> there is a lot of pride of the family dwellings and maintained. i have lived in 5 neighborhoods in san francisco and in west (inaudible) i have never seen the number of people who know of their neighbors. i know my neighbors. >> the view is spectacular, but it has a feel of a big city with a small town field. if you live on twin peaks you can drop into 6 neighborhoods

quickly. many san franciscoians feel they have one neighborhood, we feel like we have 6 or 7. we are blessed. >> we have a beautiful park and wonderful forests. we are a appreciative of the (inaudible) and we are a quick trip over the hill to the heart of the city and just a step away from 280. so it's a wonderful location for the parish but for us as residents. >> (inaudible) at the time it was affordable, a family area, a great location, close to 280 and has a great neighborhood association, active. neighbors that have been there 30 years.

it's stable. and great. >> we like the proximity to the mune, because we like it a lot. >> i heard about westportal and at that time there were a number of stores that went away. but the people came to find the things you couldn't find anywhere else. it's like being back in the midwest. >> it has a great transportation and old fashion feeling. the most unusual street of any part of san francisco. >> i love it, not for the summer weather, but i like the ocean and lake and beauty of the area and when it's sunny and nice, it's special. >> there are many active neighborhood groups in district 7. in next segment hear of the concerns. >> you have distinct

neighborhoods and they share a common desire for the basic quality of life. >> i think there is an ongoing dissatisfaction with city hall and representation of our district. i think people think it's okay çin district 7, but people are concerned as the city about parks and schools skr crime and the dreaded pot holes that are everywhere in district 7. >> they are looking for the city to deliver basic city service: that's what they are calling us fo do, just focus on basic day-to-day work and that's what they are looking for the city government to do. >> the most important problem

is clean parks and proper development and proper healthcare. one of the u nearbying aspects of district 7 is that people don't realize that these colleges are located in district 7 and you have a high student population and you have a lot of people that don't have healthcare. so i think there is a demand in this district to see someone address that. >> i was involved in twin peaks as a new neighborhood and since 1987 there are two issues, the fight over the tower and im nappropriatal development. and in the tower there are inappropriate '1987 there are

two issues, the fight over the tower and inappropriatal development. and in the tower there are inappropriate adding of an atennae's. the manner that the tower came in the neighborhood has left bad feelings with the neighborhood. the future is hgtv and it will come down one day. the technology is changing and the city expresses as much foresight to other issues as they apply to the tower, there would be another way to have this structure in the residential neighborhood. >> we have concern about the quality of life, such as graffiti and clean sidewalks and streets and peddest rian concerns. >> in the past we have had

problems with the homeless camping over night and using drugs and alcohol and bad behavior. >> the other serious problem we had in great open spaces and it goes up and down is dumping and litter. the city has done a good job in last couple of years. with an active neighborhood organization we have reported it. if someone has done illegal dumping they have been tracking it down. but that's an ongoing issue and crime from other neighborhoods. >> we found out that a great number of people moved in with anticipation that kids would go to westportal school. i know one that lived across the street and not permitted in the school and they turned to the catholic school. a lot of people are not willing to accept the choice that the school district imposes on them

as to where they send their children. so they move out of the city or look to a nonpublic education facility where they have the right to choose. >> san francisco state has bout and (inaudible) and over state you have neighborhood that is living in a neighborhood that is elderly. and you have a new clash of cultures. and that's an interesting mix to get çtho different people to get along. >> there is a strong community push to do a lot of work around lake (inaudible). it's a simple matter on the surface to bring the water levels up. a lot of communities involved from golf courses and uses of the west

side bay. and my predecessor did a lot of work and got a lot of parties to come together and sign a agreement. what we have seen the result of those agreement system water level coming up. and that part is on rise and doing the right thing. >> what you pñsee now is a good story, it's a happy story, the lake is at a level not seen since mid80's. when we got involved in 2000 the lake was getting worse and declining and looking on track to be a mud flat. what we learned it's a manifestation of the aqua under it and there were a lot of areas pumping out too much

water. more than it could recharge. the surface paths for the lake and the lake suffered. one of the things that we learned as uses deteriorated is public benefit it was being reduced. there used to be sailing and fishing. this is one of the finest urban fisheries in the united states. that was going terrible because of what was happening to the lake. it's about restoring a treasure of district 7 to what it could be and should be. >> what is missing and the obstacle that is missing is the master plan. what should the uses be on the lake.

>> i was a part of the committee that hosted out in the park and it was a great tournament. there were report that is it didn't produce the revenue we expected. the only dollars we see is those that pga paid. and it cost us 700 thousand dollars and they only paid half a million.and what we haven't seen and the components of the tournament was influx of sales tax and it was a great money maker. and the pride that so many san franciscoians felt. >> (inaudible) has been a hot issue and we asked them to discuss district 7's housing needs. >> the predominant issue is how we felt our desire to maintain

single family character. district 7 is founded on that issue. we are accompillation of single family neighbors and we fleed need to help those and those who were living here whether 50 years or 5 months. a desire to maintain that single family characteristic. it's a balance and it's tough and there are tough fights. >> development issues are what we called the manhattan (inaudible) of the neighborhood. where they maxed out the lot lines and what used to be two story. there is still continued fear that character of the neighborhood be maintain which is çsingle family homes. >> there are lots on the west side and people support

development. 187 units that were for synagogue uses is not appropriate. to put in equation that we can solve the rest of the city's problems is unfair. >> i want more housing built on 800 (inaudible) way. it's one of the main streets on the southern part. i have heard of discussion between some people (inaudible) they want things to stay the way they are. i want them to build housing, frankly i don't give a damn, as long as they build it. >> there are so many people that have lived here and raised children and up and gone and moved in other houses in other states and they have 2000 homes

that they can't maintain. and can't leave the neighborhood. we are trying to find senior assisting in the neighborhood. >> a lot of people can move in the facilities and their homes can be available for the families to better use 3000 square feet. >> i don't like high density housing. i don't want monterey blvd to be like. that >> i think one of the most charming parks of the sunny side is we are low density. i wouldn't want to be here with high density. i live in a

detached home and i think people enjoy that of the neighborhood. >> with the increase of the homes these commercial properties have increased value and the rent is harder for long time businesses to afford. and there is slow turnover where businesses move and buildings stay vacant for a while. that's what i have seen. >> the idea of building more housing and density along corridors is idea pushed by the planning department. and i think there may be room for that in district 7. but let's look at what, where we are with the transit corridor but it has the feel of old village in san francisco and that's a characteristic we don't want to lose. if there is a way to

balance that, fine, but we need to maintain that as primary purpose. >> (inaudible) safety is a main issue. because we have a heavy elderly population in district 7. and the timing for pedestrians to cross may not be enough. a major thoroughfare, and there are problems. >> monterey blvd used to be a commercial district and now a freeway. when the 101 was shut down and the traffic pattern changed and they started coming this way and accessing it. >> the one thing that sunny

side neighborhood gets involved in is work with the city college. and there are a lot of issues that spill out in our neighborhood, mostly is parking issues. our chip# complaint is that students are parking in our neighborhood. and the race to get to class. we have students that forget what they are doing and where they are and they are driving down our streets at 40 miles per hour and on flat avenue you don't want to be doing. that >> the way they are set up don't work the way they used to and 19th avenue is a corridor that carries the traffic. >> we have a huge intersection that is one of the worse

intersection in the city. and we are working with the city to try to get traffic flowing down methods and the count down pedestrian crossings help a lot. >> (inaudible) right here at our corner cars go by quickly. i heard one. there is a park across the street and there is a busy street between a park "m >> people have been driving (inaudible), they risk themselves and other's lives. >> if we can bring in more parking in westportal, that would be grateful. my bank is there and i have to drive down the peninsula to get my commerce down. >> i think westportal is one of the few neighborhoods where you can find a parking space.

expect after 3, i find people in san francisco get impatient if they can't park in front of the place they want. if you go half a block there is parking. >> the pedestrian issues we are look to getting zebra striping and you have a lot of traffic with cars and they don't look for pedestrians. we will do things to make that more pedestrian friendly. >> you heard of the problems and challenges faces district 7. it's time to hear of the solutions and opportunities. >> there are positive changes traffic wise. i think of a person experience, i walk my dog for 5 years in the morning and at night. and thankful to a supervisor to get a stop sign

and -- >> traffic at 7 avenue and (inaudible) where they meet, that traffic signal was long overdue and appreciated and a safer drive in this neighborhood. >> what this city needs is to get on top of its facilities, manage them more effectively, gets fiscal house in order and put priorities on things that count and stop trying to be all things to everyone. >> just the fact of the funding for so many things are not available. it's a sad thing where anything the community can do to put together is appreciated and does wonders. a group of us cleaned up a park off of juice and trimmed the bushes and hauled them to a

city sight. and there were not gardeners to do it and hope that the city can do that and make it a nicer place to be. and the graffiti (inaudible) is working well and volunteers throughout the neighborhood that work with san francisco police department and when theyç see graffiti and take pictures and to recover as quickly as possible. the taggers need to go to art schooling. >> you heard some of the street noise, one thing i would like to see change is a way to defuse the noise coming from 280. it will cost money and when we talk to the city, they say it's the state's problem

and they say the city needs to ask for it. that is something that would bring improvement to the neighborhood. >> some of the great changes are, more of the jewels of the district, coming back alive. point to lake muset and the water levels were dropping and now it's coming back. and the park and zoo. we are doing basic infrastructure work in westportal and the tracks and those will be replaced and library will reopen in november and a park just reopened and school will get ada work done. >> westportal play ground went under renovation and that's a boom. >> as much as things change they stay the same. we have

taken our infrastructure and improved t >> when i moved here 8 years ago you would walk up the street and seniors and older people and everything would be closed at 9 at night. and within last 4 years there are younger familys and people with kids and dogs and we have new restaurants and night spots that the sidewalks don't roll up at 9. >> i think district has beautiful new restaurants and the theater is vibrant and active and it's a single theater that still exists in san francisco. there are improvements in landscaping and to repair the roads. by and large there is an active

citizenry that care about the neighborhood and conducted themselves accordingly. >> i think that the district has been a home to a voice of passion and common sense. i think is often missing in civil discussions and that's something that they demand of me as their representative. >> like every part of our great city district 7 still has features for to discover. come down and check out yourself. for next time i am jennifer lowe for sgtv, thanks for watching.